6 Hacks to Grill the Perfect Burger

For us here at AmeriGas, Memorial Day Weekend means the unofficial start of the grilling season begins in T-minus 7 days. With citizens all over America firing up their grills for the first time this year, AmeriGas presents 5 tips on how to cook the perfect burger. Follow along and you will be a grill master in no time at all!

1. Propane Grills Make Perfect Patties
Charcoal grills may be the classic way to grill burgers, but propane grills are the 21st century method of cooking. While charcoal grills take up to an hour to grill hamburgers, propane grills cut that time in half. Creating mouthwatering burgers has never been easier with a propane grill. Just heat the grill up, follow the instructions below, and grill a hamburger patty worthy of Memorial Day Weekend.

2. Perfect Your Patty
The shape and size of your patty is a crucial factor in grilling the perfect burger. To form the perfect patty, divide the meat into equal portions and create the burger about ¾-inch thick at the edges and 1/2-inch thick in the center. The patty will even out as it cooks, resulting in the perfect size and shape.

3. Adjust the Temperature
The most important part of grilling the perfect burger is using the right temperature. Start by warming your grill to high heat, about 450 degrees, or until you can hold your hand over the grate for up to one second. This is important because the high heat will create a warm cooking zone for your patty and will allow the patty to sizzle to perfection.
4. Fatten Up
Fat is actually a good thing when cultivating the burger from scratch. Your burger should consist of about 15% fat to prevent it from drying out while grilling. Moisture is key to a great burger, so leaving a small amount of fat will keep it nice and juicy! If you think your patty is too lean, don’t despair. Add 2 to 3 teaspoons of ice water per pound of meat that you are cooking in order to help restore moisture.

5. Stop Pressing Down
Believe it or not, pressing down on your burger while it is grilling can ruin your perfect burger. Steve Raichlen, Author of Barbeque Bible, confirms this by saying “Do not, I repeat, do not press on a burger with a spatula while it is grilling.” When you push down on the patty, the juices are squeezed out onto the fire. This dries out your burger and ruins the tenderness you were looking for.

6. First Times a Charm
You only need to flip the burger once for a perfectly juice and tender burger. The question then becomes, how long should you cook a burger on one side? The average should be about 5-6 minutes of the first side, then flip when the raw top begins to show signs of juices collecting on the top. Flip once, and cook the underside for about 3-4 minutes.

Follow all of these steps and you will have a perfectly cooked hamburger for Memorial Day Weekend!